Forever Night
by OnyxWoof73
Summary: The clans have been destroyed by the Pure Cats, a vicious group of cats led by Night. All of the cats are pitted against one another. This is simply the way it is. But a new kit is born. Named for the ancient, almost forgotten Clan, Lionkit has had enough. He takes a stand against Night…but will he survive?
1. Chapter 1: The Rules

**Chapter One: The Rules**

 **Onyx Gambit is back! This is sort of inspired by Lolkat123's To the Death. Check it out.**

 **Review!**

Eagleclaw narrowed his eyes at the tiny black tom crouching on the Great Oak. Cats swarmed below him, but this was not a Gathering. The clans had been defeated by the black tom's group of rogues known as The Pure Cats. They had stolen the kits for their group and utterly destroyed theClans. Now, the cat was telling them the rules of how they would live from now on.

"You must not band together," the cat yowled, his voice like claws scraping against stone. "Trust no cat. You may mate, but your mate must come to the Pure Cat's camp to kit. Then, after your kits have been trained and earned their warrior name-" at this the cat let out a spurt of mocking laughter- "they will be sent out to, well, die. You must live like this. Hunt when you are hungry. If you are old, then congratulations that you survived this long. You will probably be killed by a younger warrior. Trust no one, and you just might survive."

The cat surveyed them. "If you attack a Pure Cat, you will be brought to the Pure Cat's camp for a trial. Follow these rules, and you might survive. You have a day to leave the island and find a safe spot before there are none left. You have a day before the killing begins. I suggest you set off now."

The cats murmured things while they left, casting suspicious glances around the clearing, as if wondering if the cat next to them might be the one to kill them.

The black tom narrowed his ice-blue eyes. "Now."

Eagleclaw set off for edge of the island, slipping through the ferns until he reached the tiny river. He had originally been in RiverClan, so he could fish and swim. He slid into the water and swam strongly towards the shore. He saw many cats slipping through the reeds, or heading away.

"Eagleclaw." He turned around. A small gray-and- white she-cat was sliding out of the water next to him. He dipped his head to his former Clanmate.

"Mousewhisker. What is it?"

Mousewhisker looked at him, her yellow eyes looking shattered. "Can Night do this?"

"He did take over the Clans," Eagleclaw pointed out, his dark tabby tail twitching.

"Yes, but shouldn't we rise up? Our leaders…where are they? I lost sight of Cloudstar when Night attacked our camp, and I haven't seen any traces of Heatherstar, Moonstar, or Birchstar."

"They're being kept captive at the Pure Cat's camp. Well, at least Birchstar, Heatherstar, and Cloudstar are. I heard from Yellowfur that they killed Moonstar," Eagleclaw murmured.

"Poor Jaywing," Mousewhisker mewed. "He was at the Moonpool with Quailfeather when a Pure Cat killed them."

Eagleclaw nodded. They lapsed into a friendly silence before Eagleclaw broke it.

"You should go. I can't trust you anymore, remember?"

Mousewhisker flicked her tail, not meeting his gaze. "If we meet, Eagleclaw, I won't kill you. I promise."

Eagleclaw touched her ear with his nose. "Thank you, Mousewhisker. Hopefully it will never come to that."

Mousewhisker nodded, and got up and stretched. She dipped her head good-bye and Eagleclaw watched as she bounded down the shore, heading for the moor.

Eagleclaw heaved a deep sigh, turned around, and headed through the reeds to RiverClan's camp.

The sight that greeted him shocked him. The dens were trampled, the nests torn apart. Blood and fur littered the ground, and the stench of death was everywhere. Eagleclaw looked around and heard a tiny wail. Tensing, he snuck into the split rock that was the medicine cat's den. Peeking inside, he saw a tiny black-and- white kit.

"Mama! Where are you? Mama? I can't find you! Where are you?"

His heart sinking, Eagleclaw recognized Lakekit, who had been born a few days earlier. Her mother, Flametail, had been murdered by Night when he attacked RiverClan's camp. Eagleclaw headed over.

"It's alright, Lakekit. I'm here."

"Eagleclaw? I can't find Flametail!" the tiny kit wailed.

"She's dead, Lakekit."

Lakekit started to wail, but it broke off as a hacking cough shook her whole body. Eagleclaw's eyes widened.

"Since when did you start coughing?"

"Yesterday."

Eagleclaw curled his body around the Lakekit. She burrowed into his deep fur and gradually fell asleep. Eagleclaw was too restless to sleep. He gazed around the den. Herbs had been strewn everywhere. He saw a tuft of black-and- white fur. Lightningtail. The medicine cat had tried to fight off a Pure Cat while curing Kestrelflight, who had had greencough. Both he and Kestrelflight had been brutally slaughtered. Eagleclaw could still see tufts of light brown fur from Kestrelflight and stains of blood that could never be washed away, not if it rained for a hundred moons.

 **So that's technically the prologue, as when the story actually begins, Eagleclaw, Mousewhisker, and Lakekit are long dead. Lakekit died of greencough, and Mousewhisker and Eagleclaw were both killed.**

 **Review!**

 **~Onyx**


	2. Chapter 2: Lionkit

**Chapter Two: Lionkit**

 **This is the start of Lionkit's epic adventure!**

 **Special Thanks to Snowcrystal of Thunderclan for reviewing (I think you're becoming my #1 fan! lol thanks for the support!)**

 **ALSO ONYX PSA:**

 **If you have a Wattpad account, be sure to check out my stories there: user/OnyxWoof73**

"Lionkit! Your eyes are open!"

Lionkit blinked away the darkness at the edge of his vision to see his mother eagerly staring at him with vibrant green eyes.

"Oh, Lionkit! Your eyes are just like your father's!" Cherryfeather began licking him. "And your pelt is just like mine! Oh, Bramblewhisker would love to see you."

"Why can't he?" Lionkit mewed.

"He's off in the real world, fighting for his life. There, you can trust no cat. Luckily, you're safe here, in camp. You're not allowed out in the real world. After you reach your third moon, somebody will train you. Then, after you're finished training, you are let into the real world. I hope you survive."

"What about you?" Lionkit asked. Cherryfeather smiled.

"After you become an apprentice, I have to leave," she mewed. "I'm not allowed to stay in the nursery. There are so many she-cats coming with kits!"

"Lionkit's eyes are open?" a white shape barreled into Lionkit's side and he sprang up to see a white kitten with dark blue eyes. Lionkit gulped. The kit was huge!

"Hi, I'm Icekit! This is my brother, Snowkit. The other kits in the nursery are Hazelkit, Cloudkit, and Ivykit, who are all littermates, and then there's Thornkit and Sorrelkit."

Lionkit gazed at Snowkit, who was an exact copy of Icekit. Hazelkit, Cloudkit, and Ivykit all had white-and- gray fur, while Thornkit had golden-brown fur and Sorrelkit was a tiny tortoiseshell she-cat.

"Congratulations, Cherryfeather," a gray-and- white she-cat mewed. Lionkit presumed that his was Hazelkit, Cloudkit, and Ivykit's mother.

"Thanks, Hollyflower."

The other she-cat, a tortoiseshell, murmured congratulations and the last she-cat, a light gray tabby, stayed silent, gazing sorrowfully into the distance.

"Thanks, Squirreltail."

"Mom, are you okay?" Snowkit asked. Starlingpelt nodded.

"I'm fine. I'm still sad about Whitenose."

Icekit nodded solemnly.

Lionkit looked at Cherryfeather, confused. "Who's Whitenose? What happened?"

"Whitenose is Starlingpelt's mate and Icekit's and Snowkit's father. He was killed," Cherryfeather explained.

Lionkit felt saddened. "That's sad."

"May the Pure Cats gather!" a yowl from outside surprised Lionkit.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"Night. It must be time for Thornkit and Sorrelkit's apprentice ceremony,"

Cherryfeather hauled herself out of her nest and padded outside. Lionkit followed and saw a tiny black tom sitting on a boulder. Many cats paced nearby. Two flanked Cherryfeather as soon as she came outside the nursery, and they did the same to Starlingpelt, Hollyflower, and Squirreltail.

Lionkit was gently pushed into a small group with the other kits. Thornkit and Sorrelkit were led to stand below the boulder.

"It is time for Thornkit and Sorrelkit to be trained. Fang, you will train Thornpaw. Jaggedtooth, you will train Sorrelpaw." The two apprentices sat down next to their mentors.

"It is also time for Mothpaw, Softpaw, and Dustpaw to become warriors."

A golden-brown she-cat, a white she-cat, and a dusty brown tom stepped forward.

"Mothpaw, you shall be known as Mothflight. Softpaw, you will be known as Softwing. Dustpaw, you will be known as Dustflight. You now head out into the real world. May your skills serve you well."

Lionkit watched as Mothflight, Softwing, and Dustflight headed out of camp.

"Squirreltail. Your kits are apprentices now. It is time for you to return to the real world as well. Good luck."

Lionkit watched the ginger she-cat as she stopped to lick Thornpaw and Sorrelpaw's heads and then left the camp.

"Where's Squirreltail going?" Lionkit asked.

"Into the real world," Hazelkit whispered back.

The yew bush shuddered as two cats came into the clearing. One was a light, creamy she-cat and the other was a dark gray tabby tom.

Night narrowed his ice-blue eyes.

"I am Honeyfern," the she-cat mewed, looking nervous.

"And I am Stormfeather," the tabby tom announced. "Honeyfern is my mate and she is expecting kits."

Night nodded. "You came just in time. Two of our kits have just been made apprentices and Squirreltail left the nursery. There is room. Stormfeather, say your good-byes and then Honeyfern will move to the nursery and you will go back into the real world."

Stormfeather brushed Honeyfern's muzzle. "I'll stay alive, I promise," he murmured. "I'll wait for you." his amber eyes flashed with pain as Honeyfern nodded, then was escorted by a Pure Cat to the nursery.

"You may leave now, Stormfeather," Night mewed. Stormfeather nodded and left.

Lionkit followed Cherryfeather back into the nursery.

"Will I ever see Thornpaw or Sorrelpaw again?" he asked.

Cherryfeather shrugged. "You might, before they go out into the real world."


	3. Chapter 3: Apprenticeship

**Chapter Three: Apprenticeship**

 **Thanks to Sunfrost of WindClan and trinity for reviewing**

 **Snowcrystal of Thunderclan: lol okay**

 **Trinity wondered if this was a Warriors/Guardians of Ga'hoole crossover, noting the similarities between different aspects. Sorry, but no, as I've never read Guardians of Ga'hoole. I know of it, but I never read it. sorry. :(**

 **Anyway, it's Lionkit's apprentice ceremony! Yay!**

Lionkit anxiously shuffled his paws. His apprentice ceremony was about to happen.

"Attack!" a silvery shape bundled into him, knocking him off his paws.

"Watch it!" he growled. The kit jumped off him.

"Silverkit!" _I should have known!_ Berrykit and Silverkit had been born a moon ago. Sorreltail and Thornclaw were out in the real world already, and it was almost time for Icepaw and Snowpaw to become warriors. A moon earlier, Hazelpaw, Cloudpaw, and Ivypaw had been made apprentices.

The nursery was crowded. Honeyfern's kits, Berrykit and Silverkit, were the first. Then Lilyfur had moved in and given birth to Hawkfrost's kits. Then, Vixentail had given birth to Blizzardwing's kits. Then, Leopardsnow had given birth to Snakefang's kits. Lilyfur's kits, Brackenkit and Oakkit, were playing with Vixentail's kits, Hollykit and Crowkit. Leopardsnow's kits, Applekit, Redkit, and Fallowkit, were all tussling in the middle.

"I'm glad I'm going to be an apprentice and give you all some room," Lionkit mewed, shoving Berrykit away for the fifth time. The creamy tom glared at him.

"We're two moons old! We're almost apprentices!"

"Yeah!" Silverkit joined in. "You think you're so high and mighty just because you're a moon older than us!"

"What's going on?" Redkit appeared, but Applekit pounced on him from behind and the two tawny kits rolled around. Fallowkit, a brown she-cat, purred with amusement.

"Lionkit! I bet you can't beat me!" Hollykit cried, leaping off Oakkit, whom she had pinned to the floor.

"He beat you the last time you said that!" Crowkit reminded the tiny black she-cat, who leaped on him and rolled him to the floor. Brackenkit grabbed Hollykit from behind and pulled her off Crowkit. The black-and-white tom rolled out of the way as Hollykit fell back on top of Brackenkit.

"May the Pure Cats gather!" Night yowled and Lionkit strode quickly out. Cherryfeather caught up with him and licked the top of his head.

"Congratulations, Lionkit," she murmured. "I'll try to stick around in the real world."

"It is time for Lionkit to become an apprentice. Lionpaw, your mentor will be…" Night's gaze swept the clearing. "Sparrowpelt."

Lionpaw bounded over to the brown tabby tom.

"It is also time for Icepaw and Snowpaw to become warriors. Icepaw, you shall be known as Icewing. Snowpaw, you will be known as Snowstep. May your skills serve you well in the real world."

The two warriors headed off.

"Cherryfeather, it is also time for you to leave to the real world."

Cherryfeather paused by Lionpaw.

"Do well, my kit." She licked the top of his head. "Your father will be proud." She left, leaving the yew bush trembling.

Sparrowpelt led Lionpaw out of the camp.

"You will need to learn your hunting skills and your fighting skills. You will learn how to fish, climb, run fast, hunt in the dark, fight in forest, and swim. You will need to know every battle skill there is to know. And it's my job to teach you."

Sparrowpelt taught Lionpaw the hunter's crouch, and then took him to the river to learn how to swim and fish. Then, he showed Lionpaw some fairly basic battle moves. By then, Lionpaw had caught his first fish and his first prey- a rabbit. Even Sparrowpelt was impressed.

"Grab some fresh-kill and go rest. We're going to battle train tomorrow with the rest of the apprentices."

Lionpaw headed into the apprentices' den. A pale tabby tom guarded the entrance. Lionpaw remembered his name was Longwhisker.

"Hi, Lionpaw!" Hazelpaw mewed. She was sitting in her nest, grooming herself. Lionpaw looked at Cloudpaw, who was curled up, fast asleep. Cloudpaw's mentor, Riverstripe, had taken the silvery-gray tom hunting the whole day. Ivypaw wasn't back yet.

"Where's Ivypaw?"

"Lizardfang took her hunting," Hazelpaw explained. Lionpaw nodded.

"What did you do, Hazelpaw?"

"Hunting. Same as you. I swear, I think that Cedarfur wants us to catch the prey for all of the Pure Cats."

Lionpaw nodded. "Sparrowpelt puts so much pressure that I feel like I'm the only one hunting for the entire group of Pure Cats."

Hazelpaw flicked her tail. "Well, the pressure to hunt is going to serve us well in the real world. There's no fresh-kill pile that we can just wander up to and choose what type of prey we want."

Lionpaw nodded. The ferns rustled as Ivypaw slid in.

"Hi, Lionpaw," she panted, breathless. "Lizardfang wasn't satisfied until I caught enough prey to bury a cat."

Lionpaw purred as she settled into her nest. "We're all being pressured when we hunt. It'll do us well in the real world."

Ivypaw nodded. "I suppose you're right. Still, we're not in the real world yet."

"Are you guys ready for battle training tomorrow?" Cloudpaw was awake.

"Yeah!" Hazelpaw responded enthusiastically. "I can't wait."

"I hope I'll be well-rested enough to take you on, Cloudpaw," Ivypaw mewed, yawning. "You challenged me last time, remember? I beat you, and you called a rematch."

"We already did a rematch, with Icewing and Snowfur, remember?" Cloudpaw mewed.

"That wasn't fair," Ivypaw protested. "Icewing and you teamed up on me!"

"Alright." Cloudpaw twitched his whiskers. "I could beat you with both paws tied behind my back."

"Could not!" Ivypaw mewed. Her blue eyes sparkled with laughter.

"I could beat both of you all by myself," Hazelpaw joined in.

"I could take on all three of you and win," Lionpaw bragged.

"You want to try?" Cloudpaw mewed. "Hazelpaw, Ivypaw, tomorrow let's jump on Lionpaw while he's trying to impress Sparrowpelt."

"Why wait?" Hazelpaw purred, and leaped at Lionpaw. He let out an _mrrow_ of amusement as she shoved him into Ivypaw.

"Hey!" Ivypaw mewed. "If you shove him into me he won't have to take on you just by himself 'cause I'll help him!"

"I don't need your help," Lionpaw flicked her nose with his tail.

Ivypaw snorted. "You'd get crushed!"

"Apprentices!" Longwhisker snapped. "Be quiet and go to sleep!"

Cloudpaw flicked his tail and whispered in Lionpaw's ear, "He's so bossy!"

Lionpaw murmured agreement as Hazelpaw and Ivypaw curled up in their nests. Lionpaw followed suit and was soon sleeping peacefully.

 **so yeah. whaddya think? questions, thoughts, comments?**

 **~Onyx**


End file.
